Someone had a lot of fun planning the First Annual Stitch n' Pitch at Safeco Field last night. Player names were displayed on the jumbo-tron in a cute needlepoint font, the first pitch was tossed by a knitter, and even the music trivia game was fiber-themed (answer: Dream Weaver by Gary Wright). Our seats way up in the stands offered a grand view of downtown. Those suckers in the fancy seats don't get a view like this: And just below our seats, a cool (but rather crowded) knitting expo with all the local yarn shops in attendance. I scored a free ruler/needle gauge! Well, I think everyone did, but it was a nice treat. Here, you can almost make out the words "Stitch n Pitch Night" on the Jumbo-tron: And of course there were knitters, as far as the eye could see. I blurred everyone's faces in case someone was playing hooky from work to attend the game. Plus, some folks don't like to be on the Intarweb. But every seat in this photo, plus an equal amount in the other direction, was knitters, knitters, knitters. And a few crocheters. I was surprised by the number of men in attendance. I was also pleased to see that knitters really like beer, even at ballpark prices. Well hey, if you're going to pay $15 for a skein of Manos, $8 for a Red Hook seems downright reasonable. Of course, there were food vendors working the stands, with the usual cotton candy, drinks, and kettle corn. We thought it would have been cool to have a strolling yarn vendor. "Ro-wan! No-ro! I got yer Red Heart, Red Heart right here!"

If I haven't mentioned it before, I am definitely the indoorsy type. I don't like sports or exercise, which perhaps can be traced back to 5th grade, when I was awarded a C+ in PE. Straight A's, and a C+. I pretty much refused to participate in soccer, which consisted of one ball and eighteen little sneakers, kicking. Just kicking. No rhyme, reason or aim, just kicking. I think I was rather smart to have avoided that. Anyway, Even though I don't like playing sports, or watching sports (except for the Olympics and Most Extreme Elimination Challenge), I am attending the Seattle Mariners Stitch n' Pitch tomorrow night. Hooray! Our seats are sooooo high up in the air that there is virtually no chance I will be rendered toothless by a stray ball. Shat upon by a gull, now that is a more realistic danger. But I can deal with that. I've been used as target practice by birds several times before (but that's another post). Anyway. It should be loads of fun, baseball game notwithstanding. I already decided on my project for the game - a simple stockinette hat, knit in the round from pink and orange washable yarn. I figured any project with dpns was a bad idea, because drop a needle in the bleachers and it's so long, sucker. A lace project wouldn't work, because (as the fine ladies of Lake Forest Park Knitters will attest) I can't knit tricky-style and chat at the same time. A fancy-yarn project is a bad idea, because of the aforementioned gull fallout and inevitable ketchup shrapnel. So, I've got the hat on the needles, and it's ready to go. I was considering making one of those cool signs I've seen sports fans waving from the stands, saying something like "Zimmerman 3:16" or "I've got your wind-up right here!" or "knit knit purl, you swing like a girl!" but I am all out of posterboard. For all you Seattleites who are going, I'll see you there! I'll be the one with the pink and orange hat.

I solved a problem today, which probably wasn't bothering anyone else but me, but I'll share the results anyway. A long time ago (like, last year!) I found a free pattern for a DNA scarf on the Intarweb. A few months ago, the link broke, and I couldn't find the pattern anywhere! Well, I guess it moved to a new site, because I finally found it again. Here it is, Dr. Montville's Double Helix Seaman Scarf. Try to avoid saying the pattern's full name out loud, especially in the company of individuals with delicate sensibilities. It is again revealed that perhaps I watch too much CSI. Anyway, I also finished my Cuzco poncho (Manolo be damned), and I have worn its fluffyness several times. Mainly indoors, but not because I am ashamed of the poncho. The Megan she says the poncho, it is back! I also learned that I passed the big exam I took a month or so ago, so that's a relief as well. Whoo, so many things finished up. Sorry there are no pictures with this post, I've got a wicked summer cold and I can't be bothered to find something interesting to take a picture of. Hold on a minute. I call it, "Sick Still Life". Don't say I never did nothin' for ya.

The more I knit, the more I learn. I had heard the term "Russian join" bandied about, but I never knew what it meant until today. Oh, sweet sweet Russian join. In other news, do you want to see something funny? Do you want to see something weird? If you answered 'yes' to both these questions (and you live in the Seattle area), get yourself over to Circus Contraption's Grand American Traveling Dime Museum before they go to NYC at the end of July. I went this weekend on the recommendation of my brother, and it's indescribable. Sometimes I like doing things just so that I have something to talk about at work on Monday. This fits the bill.

Oy, I've been away for a while. I've been busy with visitors and celebratory things, which of course required a tasty New Orleans cake from Famous Northwest Catering. Gawd, it's good. I've never been to New Orleans, but if it's anything like this cake (drenched in caramel, embraced by white chocolate, and resplendent with buttercream), I know I'd feel right at home. I finally got the package together for the early bird baby. Of course, if the baby had been born on time, the package would be late at this point. I still took the time to knit up one of the cute miniature bears from the Summer 05 IK. I nearly gave up several times while knitting this sucker - I could tell it was turning out awful. But I was wrong! It's adorable! Even without the cute little cupped ears like the bears in IK (how the hell they got that to work is beyond me). He's also a smart little rascal. He beat me at chess twice already (not hard to do), and he is very concerned about getting his RDA of vitamin C. One last thing, I was lucky enough to win a set of Laura's lovely little stitch markers, and they arrived just the other day! See how nice they look on my slow-growing FBS? Maybe they will help me knit faster. Thanks Laura!

Oooh, oooh, summertime! Summertime means new, airy sweet nothing knitting projects, like the Flower Basket Shawl from the Fall 2004 IK, using Frog Tree fingering weight alpaca in a tasty persimmon orange. Here's my first attempt: Looks like something the cat hawked up. Round 2: Huzzah! It seems to be working. Huzzah huzzah! I have successfully completed several repeats of the main pattern, and I haven't even had to rely on my lifeline (yet)! I'm very glad I chose this yarn instead of the called-for laceweight alpaca. First, one strand of yarn is easier than 2 strands held together (yuck), especially in a lace pattern. Second, while the camel-colored yarn used in the model is okay, this orange is hot hot hot piquante hot! Which makes perfect sense for summer. Speaking of hot, now that the mercury is edging over 70 degrees, it's time to experiment with my very first batch of two-buck Chuck sangria! Isn't this just the loveliest thing you've ever seen?

Now this is the ultimate in laziness. Posting a WIP picture of a poncho I completed last year, rather than taking a photo of the poncho I'm knitting now. Well, it's the same pattern, same yarn, same color, so really, there's nothing new. I know ponchos are dreadfully passe, but sometimes a sweater seems too "wintery" and a jacket too "outdoorsy". Hence, the poncho. It's the Cuzco poncho from Elann, and they don't carry the yarn anymore, near as I can tell. It's a wicked quick knit, which is satisfying for us instant gratification types. And darn it, I've been looking for my little round tape measure in this picture for about a week. Grr. Anyway, I got a sample issue of Shop Etc. magazine in the mail the other day, and I think I am not in the demographic they're going for. My idea of a "brilliant buy" handbag is not $175. But, the magazine did contain a good tip for cleaning narrow-necked vases - put a little white vinegar and raw rice in the vase, and shake it all about. It should work just as well for my $2 IKEA vases as the $130 John Pomp Glass Square Vase in capri blue pictured in the mag. It's purportedly hand-blown by John Pomp, so I guess you pay extra for that personal touch. And John Pomp's petrified saliva. Hey, it's pretty.